The Scottish Government has pledged its commitment to help stop women dying from breast cancer.

The move came after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met with campaigners from the UK’s leading breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, to discuss how the Scottish Government can play its part in helping to prevent deaths from the disease.

The First Minister gave her backing to the charity’s 2050 Challenge campaign which calls on politicians to help stop women dying from breast cancer by the year 2050 and show their support for: Improving access to life-extending medicines; continuing to detect breast cancer earlier by protecting the Detect Cancer Early programme; offering lifestyle advice and support to women when they attend breast screening and helping to make more breakthroughs by freeing up clinicians’ time to take part in research.

The commitment makes Nicola Sturgeon the first Government leader in the UK to say that her administration will play its part in ending deaths from the disease by 2050.

Since launching the 2050 Challenge campaign just a few weeks ago, supporters sent over 3000 emails to their MSPs and politicians from all parties have got behind the charity’s calls.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “As First Minister, I share the bold ambition to stop women dying from breast cancer by 2050.

“The Scottish Government is fully committed to playing its part in early detection, prevention and investment in research. We have made significant progress over the years in improving survival from the disease and we continue to take action to improve access to medicines. Too many people lose loved ones to this disease. Soon we will be publishing the Scottish Government’s cancer strategy and I can confirm that it will reflect our commitment to the 2050 ambition. Scotland can and will lead the way in stopping deaths from this terrible disease.”

Sylvia Wallace, Breast Cancer Now campaigner, added: “My life fell apart when I found out I had breast cancer. I want to see the day when no mother will have to go through what I’ve been through.”